Drumtochty Castle’s bid to secure an alcohol licence could have been snookered by concerns over pool-playing children getting injured during weddings.
The fears emerged when “well-established and prestigious” wedding venue near Laurencekirk applied to Aberdeenshire Council this week for premises licence.
The owners of the A-listed castle said it was “not possible” to accept some of the council’s blanket conditions.
These typically apply to pubs across the north-east, rather than 200-year-old castles.
Drumtochty management questioned regulations that would stop guests from celebrating outside after 10pm.
And they asked for a rule prohibiting children from using the castle’s pool table to be waived.
The board’s policy states that children under the age of 12 “cannot have direct access to pool tables, darts boards or gaming machines while in a licensed premises”.
Pool table entertains kids during ‘boring’ wedding parties
The castle’s application recently went before the Aberdeenshire licensing board.
Solicitor Neil Fraser explained that most wedding guests at Drumtochty Castle are large families with children.
Youngsters are kept entertained by the venue’s games room – which includes a pool table, football table and other toys.
Mr Fraser argued that the room distracted youngsters from the “boring parts of a wedding party”.
He stressed that there is no bar or any “pay to play” machines in the room and people don’t visit the castle just to play pool.
Mr Fraser suggested that enforcing the condition would increase the number of “bored children attending family weddings”.
He added: “Speaking on behalf of the parents of those children in the future, I’d urge the board not to apply the condition in this case.”
Venue bosses were happy to clarify they wouldn’t be sticking up a dart board in the children’s games room.
Pool table caused ‘absolutely no problems’
However Stonehaven councillor Dawn Black was unconvinced.
She was worried that a lack of space around it could potentially mean children are injured by cues.
The member said: “I understand that it’s not the same as in a public house…
“But the concern is a safety issue depending on the ages of the children, and the potential for accident or injury from cues.”
Geoff Crowson questioned the size of the pool table, and the “level of supervision” of the room.
While he “didn’t have the dimensions to hand”, Mr Fraser insisted there was plenty of space in the room, which measures 3m x 3.6m.
“It’s not an alcove,” he confirmed.
He referred to a letter written by Rachel Lindsay, an employee at the castle for nearly 20 years, who said there had been “absolutely no problems” caused by youngsters using the table.
Ms Black went on to say she was “content” by this reassurance and said leaving the condition in but amending it was a “perfect compromise”.
The board members unanimously agreed to approve the castle’s requests and granted the premises licence.
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